The Beacon Avenue salon served clients for over 14 years. In a statement that was also tacked on the front door of the salon, management said they wished to “extend a sincere thank you to the community, our employees and all our clients for your support over the years.”

On their Facebook page they said they looked to “offer the ultimate indulgent experiences in fashion-forward hairdressing, revitalizing esthetics, stunning make-up and luxurious products – all perfectly suited to your unique look.”

The end of Salon J is another blow to the business landscape in downtown Sidney, which has suffered a number of closures in recent years.

Denny Warner, executive director of the Saanich Peninsula Chamber of Commerce, says, transit and affordable housing are root causes for local companies closing.

“A lot of the businesses have employees who commute from other places and it’s just challenging to get people who can work around the bus system,” she says, adding, “Transit remains a big issue. Especially for some businesses that work past regular working hours, like a lot of salons, they try to cater to people who work 9 to 5, so for a lot of them their clientele need different hours.”

The housing crisis continues to grip the Saanich Peninsula and the glacial pace of house building over the years means workers for minimum, or slightly above minimum, wage jobs can’t afford to live there. This has been especially felt in industry and the service sector.

“We’re in a cycle at the moment where there are more jobs than people. But if you’re a worker who lives in West Shore, you’re not going to take transit to Sidney for a job that you could do just as easily there but not have the travel time,” says Warner. “The affordable housing issue is going to be an issue for a long time, until we get some more built.”

Salon J intends to provide continued updates online regarding the placement of their team as they find new employment. Jaime Ekdahl and Jackie Ekdahl have both accepted positions with Studio A in Sidney.